My Life is a Great Adventure

My Life is a Great Adventure!   

This morning at Daybreak Rotary I was the featured member for our weekly 'Daybreaker Spotlight' so for this week's news I am sharing a few episodes of my great adventure with you…

Episode #1…  I was born with a hole in my heart that became a heart murmur by age 6.  My brother John called it a 'heart moo moo' and he teased me constantly as a kid.  It used to make me so mad until one day my dad said ‘just ignore him.’  So, I did and that made him mad, so much so that one day he trapped in the corner of the garage with a pitch fork threatening to put a new hole in my heart!  It was right then and there, at the age of 10, that I learned how to sell.

Episode #2…  I’m the oldest of eight kids.  Being the oldest has its privileges and responsibilities.  I learned how to cook, iron, sew, change diapers, baby-sit and more; all skills that would come in handy later on.  The squabbles and bickering often times were boys versus girls, until a non-family member would pick on one of our sisters.  Suddenly we became all-for-one because no one was allowed to picked on our sisters!

Episode #3…  After high school I couldn’t wait to get away from the mob and I enrolled at UNI as a music major.  On September 11^th, 1972, my first day of college, my brother John was killed in an auto accident so I went back home, missing my first two weeks of classes.  It was tough, but yet an incredible time where our family really came together.  Today we call it our own 9-11.  While in college I painted houses and barns each summer with three college buddies.  I loved my summers and I learned to love learning while in college. 

Episode #4…  Upon graduation with a broadcasting degree in hand I worked at Frank Magid (media research firm), as a Disco Jock (the ‘70’s Saturday Night Fever era), radio, a radio jingle company, newspaper and an ad agency.  Then, my last ‘job’ was with MDA and the Jerry Lewis Telethon for 20 years.  Honestly, I have loved every job I have had.  Of course, I’m an eternal optimist, or as my wife calls me, an EO, a close cousin to ET, that short dude from another planet! 

Episode # 5…  My family today.  Lonna is my wife, my very best friend and we’ve been married for 25 years (happily for 24 – okay, just kidding!).  She works at Mount Mercy and we have two sons; Jason the sports, track and football guy and Logan, the music and car guy.  Jason is married to his best friend Sarah and their two boys are an extreme adventure (grandkids are way cool!).  Logan at 19 still lives at home working two jobs, looking to start college this spring and he also works as disc jockey doing weddings, dances and parties.  I love it, when he calls me from a gig, asking for old rock and roll songs he can play for the ‘old’ people!   

Episode #6…  Let me tell you WHY today I’m a business coach.  My dad was a business owner and he always struggled with finances and people.  He’d talk to me about his problems because when he talked to my mom they’d fight.  Life in our house during this time was not an adventure!  At one point my parents were on the verge of bankruptcy and divorce.  Somehow though, by the grace of God, they made it through.  As I was looking at businesses 12 years ago, when I found coaching I knew it could be my passion.  You see, I don’t want anyone to go through what my dad did.  Many business owners need help.   I believe that my mission in life will glorify God when I help people to achieve their dreams.  I really enjoy working with small business owners.  Thus, business and leadership coaching is the focus of our firm.  That’s why I’m a coach.

Episode #7…  I joined Daybreak Rotary in 2006 because I wanted to do something more to make a difference, to help people outside of my business.  I visited every Rotary club in town and when I came here, it was a fit.  Life is an adventure to many of you in this club and I like the way we create opportunities to impact others in a very positive way. Just as being a coach allows me to help others so they don’t have to go through their challenges alone; we do the same as Daybreakers with the organizations, families and kids we serve.  Being a Daybreaker is very rewarding.

And that my fellow Rotarians is my great adventure.  Thank you.  

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Hey, Those Are My Tax Dollars

Hey, Those Are My Tax Dollars!

Good morning my fellow Rotarians. Just saw a study that came out this week from the nonpartisan Office of Budget Responsibility and they chronicled the top 100 projects that are considered to be a waste of taxpayer dollars by our federal government. I thought I would share three of my favorites with you. 

Red Planet Menu…  Did you know that each year NASA works on the development of a so called “Mars Food Menu” that will be used when men land on Mars?  Researchers have test subjects simulate space conditions and rate the food being tested based on taste, their overall health, and the mood it puts them in. The only problem is that the first manned mission to Mars won’t happen until 2035 at the earliest.  Total wasted taxpayer cost since inception of this project…  $46 million!

Shoot First, Research Later…  The Missile Defense Agency has a bad habit of building things before they finish their research and development work.  However, on two occasions over the past decade, the agency has begun building interceptor missiles without first finishing the research and testing that should have been completed prior to their construction. Not surprisingly on both missile projects they experienced delays, failures, and system upgrade issues resulting in the projects costing nearly four times as much as original estimates.  Price tag for this project…  $760 million!

The Buzz Hormone…  The National Institutes of Health has funded over 30 projects in Michigan and Texas for the past decade to test hormone levels in fruit flies.  The tests discovered that male fruit flies are more attracted to younger female fruit flies than older ones.  That’s it!  And now researchers have started the process to obtain more tax payer funds to they can expand their hormone research to other animals.  Total cost of this fruit fly hormone experiment…   $940 million!

There you have it, some great examples of how our federal government spends our hard earned tax dollars and that’s the Bottom of our News on this Friday, October 19, 2012.   
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It's the Economy...

It’s the Economy…

Good morning my fellow Rotarians. The topic of the morning is economy related, so why not share an article I read awhile back entitled ‘5 Crazy Ideas to Save Our Economy’ written by economist Don Phelan.

Phelan begins by explaining how our free-market supply and demand economy works and the importance of having goods and services for Americans to buy. But, if they have no money, or are afraid of losing their jobs, or are hording their cash to weather this financial storm, they aren’t buying, right? So, how do you create incentive for people to BUY?

Crazy Idea #1: Instead of the government spending the $1 TRILLION stimulus, how about giving it directly to the people to spend? It breaks down to about $4,000 per person and yolu could send each a debit card with $4,000 on it. A household of four gets $16,000, of three, $12,000, etc. The spending would come with specific rules on how the money can be spent; down payment on a house, to buy cars, appliances, pay for daycare, tuition, etc. Only to BUY goods and services and if you don’t spend it within 18 months, the card expires and you lose the money. Imagine how consumers would line up for cars and different homes. The impact on the auto and housing industries alone could be big; more jobs, more spending and thus, more tax revenue.

Crazy Idea #2: Cut income taxes from 25% to 15% for middle-income Americans and you’d see another immediate impact on US households. For example: If you make $60,000, you get $6,000 more in your pocket to spend. Could you use an extra $500 a month in after-tax income? As disposable income increases you build real hope in people and they gain more confidence that they can better provide for their families, make their car payments and have money to buy that new refrigerator.

Crazy Idea #3: Eliminate the capital gains tax on investment properties and that would put a major dent toward eliminating the glut of foreclosure properties. No government bailout and no throwing money at the problem. People with poorly performing 401(K) or savings accounts, would RUSH to buy distressed real estate. Real estate investors would get involved big-time. It would be a boom. Many people would fix up these properties by hiring plumbers, electricians, HVAC people, carpet installers, etc. Then, those improved properties could be rented or sold.

Crazy Idea #4: Reinstate consumers’ ability to write off interest paid on credit cards, auto loans and second homes. This frees up more money for consumers and reduces their tax burden.

Crazy Idea #5: Regardless of what party you support, all of us should participate in a petition to eject our politicians from office if they don’t stop the partisanship and start working together to fix our economy. Our economic crisis is enormous. It will take ALL of us, rich and poor, conservative and liberal, black and white, men and women, to fix this. We must all start pulling on the same end of the rope. And that’s a summary of the article.

These five crazy ideas don’t honestly sound so crazy to me, but they most likely don’t stand a snowballs chance of ever happening. However, I believe that as a nation and government, we must start thinking differently. And here was Phelan’s final big question… ‘Could it be conceivable that ‘we the people’ might better spend the money generated from these ideas rather than our government?’

Remember that line from the Clinton campaign, “It’s the economy…” and that’s the Bottom of our News on this Friday, October 12, 2012. I’m David Drewelow and once again I approve this message.

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Presidential Fun Facts

Presidential Fun Facts

Good morning my fellow Americans.  Since our presidential season is in high gear I thought I’d share a few fun facts about some of our former presidents.  Here they are…    

·       George W. Bush and Playboy founder Hugh Hefner are cousins!

·       President Lyndon Johnson smoked at least 3 packs of cigarettes a day.

·       John F. Kennedy was the first Roman Catholic President.

·       Jimmy Carter is the first U.S. President to have been born in a hospital.

·       Every U.S. president with a beard has been a Republican.

·       Franklin Pierce was arrested while president for running over an old lady with his horse, but the charges were later dropped.

·       Believe it or not, Andrew Jackson's tombstone does not mention that he served as a US president!

·       Herbert Hoover was the first president to be born west of the Mississippi in West Branch, Iowa.

·       No president of the United States was an only child.

·       Abraham Lincoln was a licensed bartender.

·     Four of the past five presidents have been left-handed (even though only 10% of our population are lefties); they are Ronald Reagan, HW Bush, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama. Only George W. Bush was a rightie.

·       Gerald Ford was an all-American football player at the University of Michigan and was drafted by the Green Bay Packers (Go Pack go!), however he decided to not play pro football.

·       And finally, George Washington for many years, grew marijuana in his garden.

There you have ‘em, fun facts about past presidents as the Bottom of our News on this Friday, October 5, 2012.  I’m David Drewelow and I approve this message.

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Churchill's Way with Words

Churchill’s Way with Words!

Good morning my fellow Rotarians.  My thanks this morning to brother Carpenter for sending me some quotes of the great orator Winston Churchill. 

The prime minister loved paraprosdokians, which are figures of speech in which the latter part of a sentence or phrase is surprising or unexpected; frequently humorous. So, let’s give a listen…

·       Where there's a will, I want to be in it.

·       The last thing I want to do is hurt you. But it's still on my list.

·       Since light travels faster than sound, some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

·       If I agreed with you, we'd both be wrong.

·       We never really grow up; we only learn how to act in public.

·       War does not determine who is right - only who is left.

·       Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

·       To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism. To steal from many is research.

·       In filling out an application, where it says, 'In case of emergency, Notify:' I put 'DOCTOR'.

·       You do not need a parachute to skydive. You only need a parachute to skydive twice.

·       I used to be indecisive. Now I'm not so sure.

·       Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.

·       You're never too old to learn something stupid.

·       Women will never be equal to men until they can walk down the street with a bald head and a beer gut, and still think they are sexy.

There you go, great quotes from a great statesman, Winston Churchill, as the Bottom of our News on this Friday, September 28, 2012. 

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Women's Rules for Men

The “Women's Rules” for Men…

Good morning my fellow Rotarians.  Well, last week I shared the “Man Rules.”  Many ladies insisted that I give them equal time, so in my own best interest, I thought it wise to share some of the “Women’s Rules for Men.”  So, here they are…

·       Women always make the rules.

·       The rules are subject to change at any time without prior notification.

·       A woman is never wrong.

·       If a woman is wrong, it is due to a misunderstanding which was a result of something a man did or said wrong.

·       A woman may change her mind at any time.

·       Men should never say they understand because they don't.

·       Fashion police DO exist.

·       A man is expected to mind read at all times.

·       A woman is ready when she is ready.

·       A man must be ready at all times.

·       Men, when we come to you with a problem, be quiet and LISTEN we do NOT expect you to fix it!

·       Women will always think they are fat so men, humor them and tell them they are not!

·       Men, if you did something wrong or even if you didn't, apologize.

·       No man can possibly know all the rules (that’s true, I actually found over 100 rules and Marla told me that was only the beginning!).

·       Men, even if you think it is cool to burp, fart, or emit other strange gases from your body, it's not.

·       If a woman has PMS, all rules (including men’s) are null and void. 

Men, take note of these Women’s Rules for Men as the Bottom of our News on this Friday, September 14, 2012.

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The Man Rules

The “Man Rules”…

Good morning my fellow Rotarians.  You know they say that sometimes laughter is the best medicine so I thought I share a story that some recently sent me about a preacher from Kentucky.

One of the men in our church decided to write down some of rules that guys want their wives to know; he called them the ‘Top 14 Man Rules.’ 

1. Men are NOT mind readers.
2.  Football on the weekends; it’s like the full moon or the changing of the tides.  Let it be.
3. Shopping is NOT a sport.  And no, we are never going to think of it that way.
4. Crying is blackmail.
5. Ask for what you want.  Let us be clear on this one:   Subtle hints do not work!  Strong hints do not work!  Obvious hints do not work!  Just say it!
6. Yes and No are perfectly acceptable answers to almost every question.
7. Come to us with a problem only if you want help solving it. That's what we do.  Sympathy is what your girlfriends are for.
8. Whenever possible, Please say WHATEVER you have to say during commercials.
9. Christopher Columbus did NOT need directions and neither do we.
10. If you ask a question you don't want an answer to, Expect an answer you don't want to hear.
11. When we have to go somewhere, absolutely anything you wear is fine... Really.
12. I am in shape.  Round IS a shape!
13. If you think you're fat, you probably are.   Don't ask us.
14. Thank you for reading this.  Yes, I know I have to sleep on the couch tonight; did you know men really don't mind that? It's like camping.

 There you have it, the ‘Man Rules.’ So, should I find the Women’s rules as well?  And that’s the Bottom of our News on this Friday, September 7, 2012.

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Money, Success & Happiness

Money, Success & Happiness

Good morning my fellow Rotarians.  You know some people make a really big deal out of making a lot of money, but here is my question, will lots of money make you successful and happy? 

Well, let’s go back in time and I will ask you a few questions about some successful people.  Did you know who in 1923 was:

Who was the president of the largest gas company?  That was Edward Hopson and when he died he was insane.

Who was the president of the New York Stock Exchange?  That was Richard Whitney and he was released from prison to die at home.

Who was the president of the Bank of International Settlement? The President of the Bank of International Settlement shot himself.

Who was considered the Great Bear of Wall Street? He was Cosabee Rivermore and he committed suicide.

Who was the president of the largest steel company?  That was Charles Schwab and he died broke and alone.

Many people considered these men some of the world's most successful because they all made a lot of money.

The same year, 1923, the winner of the most important golf championships, Gene Sarazan, won the U.S. Open and PGA Tournaments. He played golf until he was 97 years old and he was still solvent when he died in 1999.

So, what is the moral of this story?  Well, how about you stop worrying about business and start playing a lot more golf!  And that is the Bottom of our News on this Friday, August 24, 2012.

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Gotta Love the Olympics

Gotta Love the Olympics!
Good morning my fellow Rotarians.  As the 2012 Olympics wind down I wanted to share a few fun facts about the history of the games.    

In Ancient Greece all athletes were expected to participate in the nude.  Thus, no married women could be spectators, or they would be put to death.  Unmarried women were welcome!

At the 1904 Paris Games the winners were awarded paintings instead of medals as the French believed that they would be more valuable.

The 1936 Berlin Games were the first to be televised but it wasn't until 1960 that they were first covered by American TV, CBS.

The last time that solid gold medals were awarded to Olympic champions was at the 1912 Stockholm Games.

The Olympic Torch Relay from Olympia, Greece to the Olympic Stadium host city is not an ancient tradition. The idea was actually first introduced at the 1936 Berlin Games during the early years of the Third Reich.

Some of the events that have been dropped from the Olympic Games over the years include the Tug-of-War, Cricket, Polo, Baseball and the shooting of live pigeons.

Jamaica really did enter a bob-sledding team in the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics.  They were the inspiration for the film 'Cool Runnings' starring John Candy as the coach. In reality, the team competed again in France and in Norway and finally won a Gold medal at the 2000 World Games held in Monaco.

The very first champion winner of the Modern Olympics was James Brendan Connolly, a college student. He dropped out of Harvard when they refused to grant him a leave of absence to participate.  52 years later he was offered an honorary doctorate by Harvard and he turned it down flat.

And finally, what do you think the Olympics cost?  Typically, $2.5 to $4 billion.  The IOC estimated $9 billion for London.  BUT, they shot way low.  Final cost this year will run over $15 BILLION!  London had to invest heavily in the Olympic venues and other infrastructure expenses.   Hmmm, I wonder who pays for those overruns?

My salute to the 2012 games – they always stir a sense of pride and patriotism.  GO Team USA!  And that is the Bottom of our News on this Friday, August 10, 2012.

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Going Out with a Bang!

Good morning my fellow Rotarians.  Here’s a story about “creative cremation” that would have made Charlton Heston proud. 

You wouldn't need to pry the gun from his cold dead hand had he known that one day upon his death his ashes could be turned into ammunition. That's right, for $850 (plus shipping), Alabama's Holy Smoke will put your loved one's ashes into shotgun shells or pistol or rifle cartridges.

Founders Clem Parnell and Thad Holmes, state conservation officers, dreamt up the idea one night while on a stakeout to catch illegal hunters. Conversation shifted from the mundane to the existential, as it is bound to do on a late night stakeout. Parnell, had recently lost a family member and when discussing their feelings they found a mutual concern regarding traditional methods of disposing of loved ones' remains.

One can scatter ashes at sea, in pastures or from a mountain at dawn as a way of celebrating a family member's life.  Some people elect to be shot from a cannon or into space after passing. Why then, theorized Parnell and Holmes, couldn't someone with a passion for guns or hunting not be celebrated in a way that would be meaningful to them? With one pound of ashes filling as many as 250 shotgun shells, and the average body producing four to six pounds of ash after cremation, that is a lot of firepower to be remembered with.

Recently established after four years of planning, Holy Smoke has only had two clients for this unique service. But, now that the word is out Holy Smoke is now making pre-arrangements with interest from everyone from police officers, soldiers, hunters and even for beloved hunting dogs.

No guidelines have been provided on exactly how to use the ammunition once shipped, but surely respect for the dead is understood in this unique arrangement.   

To learn more, check out their website at www.holysmoke.com. 

There you go, a creative way to go out “with a bang” as the Bottom of our News on this Friday, August 3, 2012.

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The Law of the Garbage Truck!

Good morning my fellow Rotarians.  This morning I have a story that someone recently sent me about a preacher from Kentucky.  It is called…  The Law of the Garbage Truck.

One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was really friendly.

So I asked, 'Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital! 'This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, 'The Law of the Garbage Truck.'

He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you. Don't take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets.

The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day. Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so...Love the people who treat you right. Pray for the ones who don't. Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you take it! So, have a blessed, garbage-free day!

There you have it, the Law of the Garbage truck as the Bottom of our News on this Friday, July 27, 2012.

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Famous Dumb Headlines

Good morning my fellow Rotarians.  With a Journalism background and having worked for a newspaper, I watch headlines, especially because I was lousy at writing them.  However, I came across a few that I thought might be worth sharing with you.  

 This was entitled… 

  

The benefit of requiring a master’s degree in Journalism to be a proof reader!

Man Kills Self before Shooting Wife and Daughter

Something Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Expert Says

Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers

Panda Mating Fails; Veterinarian Takes Over

Miners Refuse to Work after Death

Juvenile Court to Try Shooting Defendant

War Dims Hope for Peace

If Strike Isn't Settled Quickly, It May Last Awhile

Red Tape Holds Up New Bridges

Astronaut Takes Blame for Gas in Spacecraft

Local High School Dropouts Cut in Half

Hospitals are Sued by 7 Foot Doctors

Man Struck By Lightning: Faces Battery Charge

New Study of Obesity Looks for Larger Test Group

Typhoon Rips Through Cemetery; Hundreds Dead

There you have it, real live newspaper headlines as the Bottom of our News, Friday, July 20, 2012.

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Do You Know the Price Our Founders Paid?

Good morning my fellow Rotarians.  This morning I want to talk about Independence Day. As we all know, freedom is never free!  Consider what happened to the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence:

• Five were captured by the British as traitors and tortured before they died.
• Twelve had their homes ransacked and destroyed by fire.
• Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; two others’ sons were captured.
• Nine fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War.

They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.  What kind of men were they?

Well, twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants and business owners; nine were farmers and plantation owners. They signed the Declaration knowing full well that the penalty would be death if they were captured.

Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships destroyed by the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags.

Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of 8 other signers.  Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. They jailed his wife who died within months.

Many others suffered similar fates.  These are true stories about the men of the American Revolution.

They were well educated and they had their security, but they valued their liberty and freedom more.

They firmly pledged: "For the support of this declaration, with firm reliance on the protection of THE divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor."

They gave us a free and independent America. During the Revolutionary War we didn't fight just the British. We were British subjects at that time and we fought our own government!

Some take our liberties for granted, yet we owe a debt of gratitude to these patriots who came before us.

So, it’s not just another “holiday” at the beach.  Sure, we all should enjoy family, a picnic, a baseball game, fireworks and time off.  But at some point this next week, take time to reflect on the history, struggle, sacrifice and significance behind the celebration.  

I thank God for our “Independence Day” in America.  And the fact that freedom is never free!

This is our news for this Friday, June 29, 2012.   

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